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CNN Sunday Morning

Game Boy Advance Will Change Hand-Held Entertainment

Aired May 27, 2001 - 08:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: There's a new version of an old game that could help keep your kids entertained while you're traveling this summer.

The Game Boy Advance isn't out yet, but CNN's Marc Saltzman has a preview of Nintendo's latest hand-held player.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARC SALTZMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Parents, get ready. The Game Boy Advance is on the way. The first major successor to the current Game Boy hasn't hit stores yet, but we got our hands on a few and gave them to some kids for a test drive.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Yeah!

SALTZMAN: So what makes this new portable player special? For one, it features a 32 bit processor which is four times more powerful than the current Game Boy. This means it's considerably faster, with richer graphics and better quality sound.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I think the coolest thing would probably be the graphics and the way that it's so easy to hold.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: You can see it better.

SALTZMAN: The new LCD screen is exactly 50 percent wider than the older Game Boy and to accommodate this larger display, the Advance is held horizontally instead of vertically. A good move by Nintendo?

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: It's more comfortable than the other one.

SALTZMAN: A couple of parent pleasing facts. Batteries last 50 percent longer in this new Game Boy and it's backwards compatible. What that means is it'll play all existing Game Boy and Game Boy color games, all 1,200 of them.

(on camera): The Game Boy Advance is also future compatible so in a year from now when the Game Cube is released, Nintendo's upcoming home console system, you'll be able to connect the Game Boy Advance to the Game Cube in order to swap information and add extra controls to the game. Also, there's cell phone support in the works so next year gamers are going to be able to surf online using their Game Boy Advance. UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: That sounds really awesome.

SALTZMAN (voice-over): Despite what you see here, Game Boys are not just for kids. Nintendo says 45 percent of all Game Boy players are over the age of 17, not that hard to believe if you consider this, gamers who grew up playing Mario and Donkey Kong are now in their late '20s or early '30s. So the big question remains...

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: When will you put these in stores that we can buy them?

SALTZMAN: It'll hit stores in the U.S. June 11 and will cost about 100 bucks, with new games hovering around the $30 to $40 mark. Nintendo says it expects to sell one and a half million units in the U.S. its first week. Worldwide, Nintendo hopes to move close to 25 million Game Boy Advances over the next year.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I'll get it for a, for Christmas.

SALTZMAN: Think Nintendo is overly ambitious? Don't forget, it was Nintendo that make Pokemon a household name.

Marc Saltzman for CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And what cool drinks are hot this summer and where can you find the best travel bargains and which beach is the best one to go to? Log in to cnn.com/summertrips before you plan your vacation. We'll tell you.

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